According to a new report by the Ponemon Institute – a Michigan-based research group, the U.S. healthcare industry could be losing an average of more than $6 billion annually due to data breaches.

In total, the researchers found that more than 50 percent of community pharmacies were receiving less than 15 percent of these documents electronically.

While the managers of small medical facilities were likely aware of the fact that healthcare IT workers are playing an increasingly large part in the industry’s day-to-day operations, a new report indicated that certain professional positions are also increasing in stature.

In recent years, the healthcare IT managers and personnel for small medical facilities have been looking to allow their medical staffs a greater degree of access to technology.

While medical experts have long touted the benefits of eprescribing – such as how it allows doctors and pharmacists to communicate information about patients more effectively – a new report indicates healthcare facilities are starting to adopt this essential resource.

New prescription technology is allowing medical professionals to analyze patient behavior related to prescription compliance as they never have before.

In today’s economic climate, many small- to mid-size multipractice medical facilities are looking for ways to cut costs to prepare for the transition to eprescribing and medical billing software, or to simply make their practices more efficient. And a new reports suggest many are succeeding.

Since many doctors are struggling to implement new forms of technology into their day-to-day operations, it can be difficult for these individuals to focus on the long-term benefits that electronic medical billing, eprescribing and other new healthcare resources are likely to have.

Due to the fact that many hospitals are beginning to rely on their healthcare IT departments more heavily for their upgrades to medical billing software and EMR software, independent investors are deciding to put their money in these services.

Just like medical billing and EMR software, eprescribing is catching on with doctors who want to streamline their medical practice management.